1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying labels to packages, and more particularly to applying a band to a stack of at least two packages to band the packages together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An apparatus for applying a label to two or more adjacent sides of a package are known. The following U.S. Patents are exemplary of the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,330 issued on Mar. 4, 1975 to A. W. Anderson, et. al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,386 issued on June 28, 1977 to R. Fleet; U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,744 issued on May 2, 1978 to E. Seragnoli; U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,429 issued on Nov. 7, 1978 to M. Crankshaw; U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,561 issued on Jan. 1, 1980 to E. Seragnoli; U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,258 issued on Apr. 15, 1980 to J. Glosmann; U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,955 issued on Oct. 14, 1980 to Q. T. Woods, et. al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,699 issued on Jan. 26, 1982 to O. Erdman; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,851 issued on Jan. 31, 1984 to G. Colgate.
The apparatus of these prior art patents are complicated in structure and, therefore, expensive to make and maintain in operation. In addition, the apparatus of these patents must be quite large relative to the size of the package to which the label is attached, therefore, taking up expensive floor space in a manufacturing facility. In addition, none of these prior art patents disclose an apparatus for banding at least two stacked packages together in superimposed registered relationship.